Battle Ground Public Schools

Hello Students and Families, We hope you had a relaxing break and are as excited as we are to get back into the classroom. Our enthusiasm for the school year begins not when students step through the doorway, but early in the summer as we make plans to pursue academic excellence by engaging students in a dynamic learning environment and empowering them to be successful. I have three main focus areas for our district this year: • Academic success of our students • Social emotional health of staff and students • Planning for the future of the district We spent the summer preparing for the continued implementation of new state learning standards, updating and improving facilities, and training staff on social- emotional resources. Our administrators, teachers and support staff continue to work hard in collaborative teams to support the overall success of our students. Our work will continue to focus on the importance of classroom instruction and preparing students for a 21st century workforce. We are using best practices in positive interventions to support students with academic and mental health needs. Last year we received a federal grant called Project AWARE that is providing additional funding for staff and community training. We hope you can join us and support this effort by participating in an upcoming training for Youth Mental Health First Aid. I am honored to work with the dedicated professionals across our district who are committed to your child's success. Now is the time to build a strong foundation for the future of our district. Your school board members and leadership team, with support from community members, have been working on the development of a new strategic plan and long-range facilities plan. We know facilities are a priority for the district and community, and want to maintain and continue to improve the facilities we have to provide the best learning environment. At the same time, we are experiencing growth-- particularly in the southern part of the district. Our community-driven Facilities Improvement Team will continue their work in the development of a long-range plan that will put us on a path of success. This work is being driven by several data sources, including your thoughts and concerns for our district. Last spring more than 2,000 community members, parents and staff participated in an online forum called Thoughtexchange. We are using the results of this and other surveys to help us make informed decisions in our planning process. We will provide the results of these surveys through interactive websites early this fall and look forward to continued conversations through Thoughtexchange in the near future. Your voice is important and we are listening. I have asked our Communications Department to share these initiatives with you and provide opportunities for feedback. Our district website, social media pages and publications are an excellent way to stay informed. Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have. I am excited to be your Superintendent. I believe Battle Ground Public Schools is a premier district, leading the way in our region. We have a lot of work to do and are committed to continuous improvement. Thank you for your continued support and contributions - made in so many ways. Sincerely, Mark Hottowe Superintendent Battle Ground Community Education is funded by user fees. A department of the Battle Ground School District linking school and community New opportunities are FALLing all around! New opportunities are FALLing all around! FALL 2015 FALL 2015 Battle Ground Community Education & Recreation Battle Ground Community Education & Recreation The Battle Ground Public Schools provides equal opportunity in programs and employment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin/ language, creed/religion, sex, sexual orientation including gender identity, disability, or the use of a service animal by a person with a disability, age, marital status, honorably discharged veteran or military status, HIV/Hepatitis C status. The district provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. Contact the following regarding questions and complaints of alleged discrimination: Title IX Compliance Officer, 360.885.5481; Title IX Athletic Coordinator 360.885.5415; Section 504/ADA Coordinator 360.885.5481; Compliance Coordinator for State Civil Rights Laws, 360.885.5415; or a letter may be submitted to the designated coordinator at the Battle Ground Public Schools, PO Box 200, Battle Ground, WA 98604. Back to School Summary Get more back to school informaiton including school calendars, school supply lists, bus routes and registration forms online at www. battlegroundps.org Stay connected Download our new App for news and school information: Follow us on Twitter: @battlegroundps Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/ battlegroundps Watch videos on YouTube www. youtube.com/ BGPSVideo Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, the BGPS Bulletin, from Facebook or our website You can find in the app store. Battle Ground Public Schools

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